Featured Classic Mini DIY Articles

Keep Your Mini Cooper Engine Properly Tuned
Fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune or has failed an emissions test can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4 percent, though results vary based on the kind of repair and how well it is done. Fixing a serious maintenance
problem, such as a faulty oxygen sensor, can improve your mileage by as much as 40 percent.
Fuel Economy Benefit:
4%
Equivalent Gasoline Savings:
$0.13/gallon
Check & Replace Air Filters Regularly
Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your car's gas mileage by as much as 10 percent. Your car's air filter keeps impurities from damaging the inside of your engine. Not only will replacing a dirty air filter save gas, it will protect your engine... continue reading

Carburetors: Conversion from Injection to Carburetors
Single Point Injection to Carb Conversion IMPORTANT NOTE: This change should be considered a significant deviation from stock and thus should only be undertaken by a competent mechanic.In the history of the Mini the drive to keep the product alive and marketable meant the factory decided to modernize the fuel system of the Mini from Carb to Fu... continue reading

This is a subject I should never get started on; I will try to give you the short story!
For any of you that don’t know I have been racing Mini Coopers for over 30 years. And on this subject of I have some very definite experience. Before my later years in Road Racing I was national Autocross champion in a 1966 Hydrolastic Mini Cooper “S”. And while I have not road ... continue reading

If the pressure plate clutch plate friction face needs re-surfacing, get it machined to clean it up. Make sure the engineering company doing the job records the amount taken off, as the recorded amount needs removing from the tops of the 'horns' that stick up to ensure proper clamping force is achieved. If this is not done, clutch slip is inevitable. If using a pressure plate of unkno... continue reading

Maybe your Mini clutch is working fine. Maybe you’re starting to notice that the master cylinder fluid is going down slowly. Maybe the action just doesn’t seem the same. Maybe you are hearing some noises you don’t remember hearing before. The following are some quick checks even a beginner can do to make sure a clutch keeps operating correctly or to point one towards areas that m... continue reading

SHOP GEARBOXES and GEARBOX PARTS
GEARBOX - How they work
click on links for related images
Having decided on or even implemented a course of action to bolster the performance of your Mini’s engine, maximising it’s potential should encompass a good look at the gearbox. It rarely does, as most folk take one look at those seemingl... continue reading

Gear Box Rebuild
Written By GuessWorks
Gearboxes may seem complicated but they are very simple in their construction, and surprisingly easy to put together. The main issues are having the right tools to do the job. So here's a list of what you will need. SEE VIDEO HERE
Torque Wrench with a maximum range in excess of 150lbft
1 1/2" deep socket ( a ball joint socket is ideal ... continue reading

Most engines (and all Minis) use an electric spark to start the burning of the fuel/air mixture which in turn powers the car. If the engine is to run properly this ‘electric spark’ must happen at the exact right time. Setting your timing means you adjusting the time the plug fires relative to the position of the piston. Piston position is defined as follows: at the very top... continue reading

Basic fitting rules:
The installation and first few moments of running are critical factors in the life of the camshaft and the following instructions have been devised in order to obtain maximum performance from the engine and to ensure a long and trouble free life from both the camshaft and associated components. These points are designed to be used in conjunction with the origi... continue reading

Kent Cam Timing:
There are a number of different methods of cam timing. We at Kent Cams use either the 'Lift at Top Dead Centre' method, or the 'Full Lift Position method'
Full Lift Position method:
For many years the most commonly used method has involved establishing top dead center (TDC) as a datum (zero degrees) and positioning your camshaft with its inlet valve at maximum l... continue reading

Wiring Diagrams for Various and AssortedMini & Mini Cooper
These diagrams are high-resolution PDF documents. You will be able to zoom in to view detail, and print legible copies on your printer. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the documents; click here to download and install a free copy.
Click here for a Wiring Harness Overview
Each document below consists of a one-page ... continue reading

mini brake data
When working on your brakes, ensure that the brake pads, shoes and hydraulic cylinders used match the specifications given below.
Over the years, many changes were made to Mini brake configurations. The manufacturers tinkered with the master cylinders and rear brake balance valve, and rear shoes and cylinders on many occassions, and did not necessarily write these ch... continue reading

Are you familiar with the term ‘torsional vibration’? Well, torsional vibration is simply a periodic vibration which would result from the twisting of an object around its axis. In your Mini engine, this vibration would be expected to originate from the crankshaft as the engine tries to turn it. Excessive torsional vibration, however, is unwanted because it may cause various damages no... continue reading

The data on this page relates to all Minis unless specified. Major changes to suspension and steering are limited to the introduction of a new steering rack and steering arms for Mk2-on models. Mk2 steering arms have two `ears' to aid in the use of ball joint splitters; this is how they may be differentiated from Mk1 steering arms.
Very early Mk1 Minis (to around 1960) were made with ... continue reading

HELP OUT!
We would like to continue to fill in the details and the important "examples".
If you know a color code, have color chip, If your car is a certain color;
Please send us a picture or a link to a picture of the color.
You can forward any additional information to: Info@MiniMania.com
Thanks to Hugh Cannon for putting together this great list of paint codes... continue reading

This is the 3rd installment in a series of articles that are intended to provide some insight and direction to new owners of the late model range of Classic Mini Cooper. (Part One and Two can be found here.) The term MPI and/or TBI is often used to identify the range of cars produced by the Rover factory in 1996 and continued unto the end of the production of the Mini Cooper. The best way to ident... continue reading

Upgrading Mini Brakes
Over 5 million Minis have been made, most of them before 1985 when front disc brakes were standardised. Previously, standard Minis were fitted with drum brakes all round, adequate in light traffic but prone to fall out of adjustment, not very progressive unless recently overhauled, and not up to the quick responses needed to avoid accidents in modern high-density traffic.
M... continue reading